Radio Silence
by CherryDarlingxo
Summary: Over the years, Jimmy has perfected his robotic inventions to the point where they look and act...eerily real. When Betty needs help with the musical entertainment portion for her upcoming pool party, he uses his new creation to his own advantage so he can impress his crush. Like always, things don't go according to plan and Cindy gets caught in the crossfire.
1. it's my party, i'll cry if i want to

**I've been working on this for awhile now...it started out as two separate one-shots that I combined into one big idea, so this will probably end up being 4-5 chapters. I still consider that a short story though it may be pretty long - if that makes sense. I am using a LOT of creative liberty here, because I obviously know nothing about science/robots/inventing.**

 **Sometimes I envision Cindy as a Blair Waldorf type personality. Does anyone agree?**

 **I hope you all enjoy this story. Most of it is written, and I will update it in about a week or maybe sooner depending on how everyone likes it.**

 **Radio Silence**

"Who's this fellow over here?" Sheen asked the second he entered the lab with Carl in tow. The two boys stared in awe at the seemingly real replica of a teenage boy sat on the ran-down couch inside Jimmy's lab.

Both were staring so intently, that they jumped nearly three feet in the air when the arm of the boy moved.

"Ah! Jimmy!"

The genius' head popped up from behind the boy, holding a screwdriver in his hand. "Why are you screaming?"

"What _is_ that? Or should I ask - who is that?!" Sheen pointed to the boy, who was now still.

Jimmy stood up fully, grinning proudly. "Guys, meet DJ, my newest creation."

"DJ?"

"He's got a longer name, but I shortened to something that would be more catchy and less technical. He looks real, doesn't he?"

"Please tell me that's not a robot," Carl said, eyeing the invention warily.

"Of course it is, Carl. I've been testing out a new prototype lately and -"

"I'm already bored," Sheen interrupted, gaining enough confidence to inch closer to the robot on the couch. "Why does he look so real?"

"A lot of people are put off by the look of my old robots," Jimmy said, gesturing to the corner of the lab that was specifically used for storage of old creations. "I figured if I could make him look and act like a real person, he would be okay to use in public."

Sheen poked the robot. "Oh my god, _ew_. He even feels real! Carl you gotta touch it!"

Carl shook his firmly, his feet firmly planted several feet away from the couch. "No way."

"Oh, he's perfectly safe," Jimmy said. He lifted up a flap that was located on the back of the neck of the robot and flipped the on/off switch. DJ's previously blue eyes flashed green for a quick moment and the robot fully came to life.

Sheen jumped back again when the robot smiled and spoke in an eerily normal-sounding voice. "Hi! My name is DJ. What can I play for you?"

Carl looked like he was ready to have an aneurysm, so Jimmy flipped the switch again quickly. "He might take some time getting used to. It'll be okay."

Sheen, who was a little more comfortable with Jimmy's eccentric creations than their cautious friend, laughed heartily. "What the fuck, dude. Why did you do this?"

"Well, you know how Betty mentioned that she's throwing a pool party to celebrate the end of the school year?" His friends just nodded. "She also mentioned that she was having trouble finding a good DJ in our area that her dad would be willing to pay for."

"Wait, is that why you named it DJ?" Sheen interjected. "Is that why you made him in the first place?"

Jimmy was a pretty honest person, but he was also a little embarrassed that his friends had figured him out so quickly. Inventing a robot that was both functional and lifelike hadn't been easy, but he always liked a challenge. The plus side was that when he eventually presents the idea to Betty, who would hopefully approve, she would be forced to acknowledge him in a way that was other than _friendly_.

The plan was mostly foolproof, as long as DJ worked the way he intended it too.

Jimmy didn't answer and Sheen gave him a shit-eating grin. "Turn him back on. I want to talk to him."

Jimmy obliged and DJ's eyes glowed once more, followed by his earlier greeting. "He knows every word in the English language, and with the software I used, he's similar to programs like Alexa or Siri. He has pre-programmed replies and sayings, and he'll only get smarter as time goes on and the more we talk to him."

"So, in other words, he can tell me a bunch of useless information and play music, but not carry on a normal conversation without sounding like a robot?"

"He does what he's intended for," Jimmy said with a glare. By this time, Carl was inching closer to the couch curiously. "I didn't create him to be _that_ lifelike."

"Hey, DJ, how the heck are ya?" Sheen asked loudly.

The robot blinked and smiled, and his fake eyes focusing on the boy in front of him. "I'm doing great. What is your name?"

"My name is Sheen, and that's Carl," Sheen replied, pointing at the terrified redhead.

"Nice to meet you. I can play any song you like - just tell me the title and name of the artist so we can get started."

"Looks like a human, sounds like a robot," Carl said, like he was reassuring himself. "That's not so bad."

Jimmy was a little put off by the reaction. With the pool party only a few weeks away, that didn't give him a lot of time to make adjustments. Luckily it would be easier to update the software rather than change the actual hardware that the robot was composed of.

"C'mon, let's go test him out on someone else. You two are unappreciative of my hard work."

"Where are we going?"

"Just across the street."

Sheen snorted and nudged Carl. "He thinks that Cindy is going to appreciate his hard work, Carl, can you believe that?"

"I can hear you!"

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Do you think Betty's pool is bigger than yours?" Libby asked the blonde sitting next to her. They were soaking up the late Spring Texan sun in lounge chairs set up in Cindy's backyard, right next to the pool. The water was crystal clear and looked inviting on such a warm day.

Cindy's expression was hard to gauge behind the sunglasses she wore, but Libby could feel the annoyance radiating off of her anyway. "Probably. That bitch has everything."

Libby snorted. "She doesn't have your crudeness, that's for sure."

The blonde just smiled, not phased by the mild insult. Libby was Cindy's sense of reasoning and the sometimes-angel on her shoulder that whispered in her ear to _be nice_. She was grateful for that. She didn't always take others feelings into consideration before she spoke. She tended to say the first thing that came to mind and whether that hurt someone's feelings or not, she didn't usually care.

Cindy was made out of tough material. It wasn't necessarily her fault that she didn't know others weren't. Betty was one of those people.

Cindy was tough, unforgiving, and competitive, Betty was the opposite - soft, generous, kind. Not that Cindy was unkind, but she was less forthcoming with kindness than Betty.

Cindy's phone was resting on the metal patio table a few feet behind where the two girls lazed in the sun. It started buzzing, making the table rattle ever so slightly. Cindy reached behind her head and grabbed the phone as the vibrations threatened to knock it onto the ground entirely. An unknown number was calling her and she answered it cautiously.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Cindy? It's Betty."

Cindy pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it like it was going to explode. Libby gave her a curious look, reaching over to press the speaker button.

Betty spoke again when the silence stretched for too long. "Hello?"

"...I'm here."

"Oh, good! I have something very important to ask you."

Libby pushed her sunglasses up her head, making eye contact with her stunned friend.

"Does my lawyer need to be present for this?"

"Very funny," Betty said with a touch of dryness. "I've always admired that Vortex wit."

Cindy made a face at the phone and Libby stifled a giggle. "It's what I'm known for."

"This is about the end of the school year party I'm planning."

"I got my invitation in the mail, so maybe this phone call is overkill, huh?"

Libby grabbed a pool noodle and hit her best friend in the leg with it. Her curiosity was too strong to let her end the phone call before it ever really began.

Betty just plowed on without so much as a sigh or hint of frustration. "It's meant to be a pool party. Everything was going great until this morning when I realized my pool is out of commission."

Cindy gazed at her own pool and its fresh, crisp looking water. "What happened to it?"

"The concrete surface is cracking. Not a huge deal but it needs replastered...and with the party happening in just a few days, I'm afraid it won't be ready in time."

"So move the date."

Cindy was wondering why Betty was coming to her for advice when the two barely spoke to each other. "I can't do that. The invitations have already been sent off."

The sound of rustling grass and footsteps sounded behind the girls. They both turned, and saw Jimmy, Sheen, and Carl walking towards them. Cindy rolled her eyes and stood up, walking to the other side of the yard so she could keep talking in peace. Libby grinned at the sight of her boyfriend but when her gaze fell upon an unknown fourth member of the incoming group, she paused.

"Alright, Quinzilla. I would love to hear more about the structural state of your pool but you're going to need to tell me why you're calling me in the first place."

"I know you and I haven't been the closest of friends over the years," Betty said kindly. "But I'm calling to ask you for a favor."

Cindy made eye contact with Jimmy, who was looking at her curiously, and she turned her back away to the rest of the group in her yard. "Keep talking."

"I need to borrow your pool so I can still have my party. Please."

Cindy smiled to herself. Oh, she loved the feeling of the mighty asking for her help. It made her feel warm inside. And Betty certainly was mighty - she was popular, rich, and never without company.

That meant she was truly desperate if she was asking Cindy Vortex for help.

Cindy tsked into the phone. "I must say you're asking a lot from me."

"I am?" Betty asked innocently.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're not just asking to borrow my pool for a quick dip in the water, right? You want to host your party here. That will be messy. Not to mention expensive."

"I understand that, and I'm one step ahead of you. I'll take care of setting up, cleaning afterwards, and I'll arrange for your pool to be cleaned. Your house too, if you want."

"That's just the tip of the iceberg."

Betty was quiet for a moment. Cindy was testing just how desperate she actually was before she started making demands. "What else would it take?"

Ah, desperate times call for desperate measures, it seems.

"Since it's my house and my pool it would only make sense that I get some of the credit, right?" Cindy said, pure joy creeping into her voice. "I like to think I have good ideas for parties. A lot of variables are involved. Refreshments, music selection. Maybe we need to start a list."

"Of course," Betty agreed quickly, sounding relieved. "I'm so grateful that you're going to do this, you have no idea-"

"Ah ah ah, hold on. I haven't agreed to anything yet. Although, I like the idea. I need to think about it and ask my parents."

"Absolutely, and if you need me to speak with them I will."

Cindy's smile grew wider. This was too easy. She didn't actually need to ask her parents. Her parents wouldn't care if she threw a rager in their basement every night of the week as long as she stayed out of their way. She just wanted to make the older girl sweat a little.

"I think I can handle it. I'll call you tomorrow morning and we'll settle everything."

"Thank you so much, Cindy. You're a lifesaver."

Like music to her ears.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Libby was both dumbfounded and suspicious by DJ the moment the guys and robot stepped into Cindy's backyard.

"Who is that?"

"The appropriate wording is _what_ is that, honey," Sheen said.

Jimmy impatiently glanced at Cindy, who was talking on the phone across the yard. "What is she doing?" He asked Libby.

"Not entirely sure. She's making a business deal I think. Now are you going to tell me what this is?" She gestured towards DJ. The robot's eyes followed her movements.

"His name is DJ. He's a robot I created specifically for musical purposes, like a real disc jockey. He has every song ever made from the 1970s to today available for playback."

"Why did you stop at the 1970s?" Carl asked.

Jimmy shrugged. "I didn't want to overload him since he's so new. I didn't think anyone would appreciate the decades before then anyways."

"By anyone, he means Betty Quinlan and her party attendees," Sheen said to Libby, who grinned and glanced at Cindy.

"I thought he was a real person at first. Very lifelike."

"Thanks," Jimmy said proudly. "You can talk to him."

"Uh, hi," Libby said to DJ, who smiled at the sound of his nickname.

"Hello! What is your name?"

"My name is Libby."

"Nice to meet you Libby. What song would you like to hear today?"

Libby chose a song and music started to emanate from DJ. The sound was clear and loud thanks to the quality of the speakers Jimmy had used.

"I have to admit, that's pretty cool, even if he sounds like he's reading off a script."

"He's still working out some of the bugs."

Jimmy indicated for DJ to stop playing music as he noticed Cindy was no longer speaking to anyone on her phone and was making her way towards them.

"Is this going to make or break you?" Sheen whispered loudly.

"Shut up, Sheen. I don't need nor care for Cindy's opinion. I told you we are just testing him out."

The other three just gave him a collective eye roll. Jimmy would never admit it, but Cindy was still his one true skeptic and critic after so many years and he _did_ care about her opinion. She didn't mince words. She was honest. When she disliked one of his inventions, she would certainly let him know. She was smart, so her opinions weren't the kind to easily brush off, either.

The one thing that did change over the years was her vocalization of the inventions of his that she did happen to like. It didn't happen often. When it did, he felt a sense of pride that was uncommon for him. Like he'd won a coveted award. Like he was special. He didn't know why - he figured it was because her approval was so hard to come by. They'd known each other for a long time, too.

That had to be why.

But he would vehemently deny it when anyone would bring it up. His friends knew him well enough to see it. He hoped no one else could.

Cindy had her eyes on DJ as she joined the rest of the group. She could tell that something was amiss right away judging by the look on her face.

"How was that?" Libby said, nodding her head towards Cindy's phone.

"It was great. What the hell is this?" She asked, looking towards the genius.

"His name is DJ, he's a-"

"Okay I've heard enough already. What's up, creepy robot?" She asked DJ.

The robot had its eyes trained on her but her words didn't seem to compute within the system placed inside. Jimmy sighed. "You'll have to say his name for him to reply."

"What's up, creepy robot named DJ?"

"Hello! I'm doing fine. What is your name?"

"Cindy."

"Nice to meet you, Cindy. What can I play for you?"

She didn't reply to the question, just looked back at Jimmy. "Why am I the host to a nerd convention right now?"

"Just taking him on a test run."

"He has to make sure that DJ is ready for his first gig," Sheen chimed in helpfully.

"He has a job?" Cindy asked.

"Yeah, Betty's party."

The two girls shared a look that Jimmy noticed, but couldn't decipher. Cindy's smile was bright and mischievous. "What?" Jimmy asked, suspicious.

"Nothing at all, Nerdtron. I just hope your creepy robot is waterproof."

She slid her sunglasses back on her face and Jimmy scowled. Going to Cindy's had been a mistake. While she wasn't being overtly rude, she didn't seem to care about his invention at all.

That was fine. The only person he really needed to impress was Betty. She was the one throwing the party after all.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Jimmy spent two long days and nights upgrading DJ so that he would speak and act more like a human. He had to figure out how to do that without sacrificing any of his efficiency as a smart music device. It hadn't been easy, but when he was finished he was satisfied. DJ could now hold a conversation without sounding like a robot.

In the end he had to remove a whole decade worth of songs to make room for the improvements, but no one would miss the 70s tunes. He was sure of it.

Now he just had to show Betty and hopefully knock her socks off.

He texted and asked her if they could meet up soon so he could ask her about her party. If Betty was confused or weirded out by that, she didn't show it. She told him he could come to her house any time. He left DJ sit in the car - powered down - so it would be too awkward bringing a robot with him inside.

Betty answered her front door with a bright smile. "Hi Jimmy! How are you?"

He followed her inside and they made small talk. He could hear the sound of a drill and construction noises coming from what he thought was her backyard. She saw him glance towards the direction of the sounds and filled him in, "Our pool is being fixed. It's such a pain."

"Oh, well I hope it'll be ready for the party on Saturday," he said and she gave him a confused look.

"Surely you heard by now, or Cindy told you?"

"Cindy? Tell me what?"

"The party got moved. I thought I told everyone," she said, looking a little horrified. "I may need to contact some more people."

"Moved where?"

"Cindy's house. It was the only place I could think of that had a decently sized pool and wouldn't cost me a ton of money, and she was nice enough to say yes! Isn't that great?"

Jimmy's heart sank all the way to his feet. Cindy was hosting the party now.

"That was nice of her," he agreed weakly.

"What did you want to ask me about?"

"Well, actually, it was about the music for your party. I was hoping to test out a new invention of mine that would be perfect. I can show you, if you'd like."

"Oh, Jimmy, I trust you," she said with a warm smile. "Whatever you invented is wonderful, I'm sure."

He was sensing a sentence starting with the word _but_ coming next and he held in a sigh. "So you'll let me use it at your party?"

"Of course. My answer is a yes. But since the party is going to be at Cindy's, I promised her that I would run all my plans by her. I think the person you should ask is her."

"You really think so?" Betty nodded, not seeming to see what the issue was. She probably didn't know that Cindy Vortex was not the type of person to look after someone else's best interest unless it directly involved her own.

He left Betty's house feeling dejected, and took DJ back into the lab so run more diagnostic tests on him. Sheen and Carl came over to keep him and company, and he wasn't surprised to hear that they already knew the party had been moved - thanks to Libby, he was sure.

The two boys watched Jimmy work for awhile before Sheen decided to speak his mind.

"This is a lot of work for one girl," He mused.

Jimmy looked at him with a raised brow. "Like you wouldn't go to great lengths to impress Libby if you were in my shoes?"

"Yeah but I _love_ Libby. Do you even know Betty's favorite color or food? Her middle name?"

"Does it matter? I know I like her. I can learn those things."

Sheen just shrugged. "Leave Jim alone, Sheen. He's trying to be romantic."

"Thanks, Carl. I'm glad someone is on my side."

"Hey, I am on your side! I just wonder if maybe when you do get to know Betty, you won't like her as much and this will all be a waste."

"What do you suppose I do then? Not even try?"

"Why don't you just find a girl you already know pretty well and woo her instead?"

Sheen had ridiculous ideas sometimes. It was funny though, so Jimmy humored him. "Like who?"

"I don't know. Carl, what do you think? Can you think of a girl our age that Jimmy would know better than Betty?"

Carl thought deeply about that for a moment and Jimmy rubbed his temple where a headache was starting to form.

"I only know of one," Carl said uneasily.

"Who?" Jimmy asked.

"I don't wanna say it."

Sheen smiled slyly. "We might be thinking of the same person. We can say it together if you want. On three."

He held up his fingers and started a silent countdown, and when there weren't any left they both said "Cindy" at the same time. Jimmy groaned.

"I refuse to think of Cindy that way!" He exclaimed.

"Why is that?" Carl asked.

"You guys know how she is! She's...rude. She's annoying. She always been hell-bent on making my life as uncomfortable as possible. And she's impossible to get along with."

Sheen just shrugged again. "It was just an idea."

"Well it was a bad one. Betty and Cindy couldn't be more different. That's why I like Betty so much."

"Because you hate Cindy?" Carl asked, sounding confused.

"I don't _hate_ her. Hate is a strong word. I would definitely say she hates me though."

"She just projects all of her emotions as anger no matter what they are."

"Where are you pulling this information from, Sheen? Have you been reading advice columns again?"

"It's Libby," Sheen said defensively. "She's been messing with my brain. And she tells me everything about Cindy too. I think she does it so I won't pick on her anymore. AND IT'S WORKING!"

"Girls are tricky."

"You're telling me."

-0-0-0-0-0-

This had to be Jimmy's worst nightmare. The party was moved to Cindy's house? He might as well throw in the towel. She already didn't care for him or his inventions. There was no way she was going to allow him to provide the music now that she'd been given one ounce of control.

Remembering Betty's sweet smile, Jimmy knew he had to at least try.

He didn't _want_ to fight with Cindy, though. She wasn't anything like Betty, who was selfless. Cindy only cared about herself.

With two days left before the party, he went to Cindy's house. She was predictably in the backyard again, but alone this time. He cursed internally. He would have a better chance if Libby was there.

Cindy seemed to sense his presence without even turning her head. She was relaxing in a lounge chair next to the pool, clad only in a pristine white bikini that showed way more skin that it covered and a pair of sunglasses. Her skin was already darkening from its usual shade of pale and it was only the first week of the summer vacation.

"What do you want Neutron?"

He sat down in the chair next to hers, facing her. She didn't move. "I heard something interesting yesterday."

She smiled widely. "The news is out then. About the party."

"It's nice of you to let Betty throw her party here."

Cindy sat up fully and pushed her sunglasses up, automatically sensing that his words were off. "Please don't tell me you're here to butter me up."

"Did Betty tell you about my idea?"

"No, but Libby did."

Jimmy wanted to pull his hair out. "Cmon, I know you still need to figure out the music situation. Let me do it."

"I don't want your creepy robot near my party."

His eyes widened. " _Your_ party?"

She just rolled her eyes. "It's my house. My pool. My party."

"You're taking advantage of Betty," he said angrily. "She came to you for help and you're walking all over her."

Cindy scoffed and fell back into her previous lounging position. "It's not my fault that she makes a good doormat."

"Vortex, don't think I won't go to her and say something."

She was silent, and she turned her head to look at him, green eyes piercing into his own. "Neutron, stay out of this. Keep it in your pants for two seconds and mind your own business."

He ground his teeth together, trying to resist the urge to yell. Cindy held his fate in her hands for the time being but he would hopefully change that with another talk with Betty.

"That's pretty low, Vortex. Even for you."

His words made her soften her edges just a tiny bit. He could tell it by the way she frowned and broke eye contact for just a moment.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. "Betty probably doesn't care if you supply the music."

"Is that a yes?" He asked hopefully.

"It's a maybe."

"What can I do? I'm not trying to step on your toes. I promise."

He thought being earnest and nice to her would help. And surprisingly, the tension in her body language seemed to loosen considerably.

She sighed. "If you can also promise me something else, then it'll be a yes."

"Sure. Whatever you want."

"I'm going to tell you something that only Libby and my parents know. If you tell, I'll know, and you'll regret it," she said darkly.

"Okay, okay. What is it?"

"I don't know how to swim."

He stared at her in shock. "That's ridiculous. Yes you do."

"No, Neutron. I can fake it well enough, but truthfully I sort of panic and I flail and it ends badly."

"You're serious," he said. "You can't swim."

"Why would I lie about that?" She snapped.

"I'm confused. Why are you telling me this?"

"Just promise that you'll help me keep it a secret. With so many people bound to show up here for the party, it might be hard to keep people from realizing that I never actually swim. It's embarrassing."

"...and in return you'll let me have free reign over the music?"

She nodded and his excitement spiked. She stuck out her hand and he shook it. When he went to move away she gripped his hand tightly so he couldn't. "I'm serious Nerdtron. Tell anyone and you're dead. You'll never get to touch Betty."

As if he believed she had _that_ much power, but he would humor her. "No one will find out. And I'll do you one better - I can teach you how to swim."

She let go of his hand and slipped her sunglasses back on, clearly dismissing him. "We'll see."

"Thank you, Cindy."

"Just get out of my face."

He was so happy he could have skipped home. He didn't, but he wanted to.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Eternally grumpy from her most recent conversation with Jimmy, Cindy went inside for the day. She had a headache from too much sun and overthinking.

She had lied her ass off. She knew how to swim. She was terrified of deep water, and so she didn't usually partake in water activities, but she wasn't going to drown if someone dropped her in the pool. She would probably try to kill them but that wasn't the point.

She had no reason to lie! Not a real one, anyway. She just wanted him to view her as a human and not the cold-hearted bitch he clearly had a vision of her being. Cindy detested the fact that Jimmy was _so_ enamored with Betty that he was inventing the creepiest robot to ever exist for her damn party.

That was why she wanted to tell him no so badly. _No, your robot can't be used for the music and impression of one Betty Quinlan in my backyard, Neutron._ That was what she wanted to say but that would certainly give her away.

She hated it. She hated him. But she also didn't hate him, and that confused her.

In her head she could pretend that this was her party and her guests and her suitor, who did weird but romantic things for her. God, she just hoped there was no way this new robot could read her thoughts or something. She didn't need Jimmy to hear how she was feeling.

And maybe things would work out in her favor in the end. Betty would fade quietly into the background and so would Jimmy's obsession with trying to impress the older girl. If she were lucky enough, he would see her instead. For who she really was.

It was delusional, and with all of the hatred inside of her, she hated herself the most.

-00-

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	2. cold water

**This installment is a little shorter but I wanted to get something out. Next part is mostly written too, just need to fill in some gaps and edit. I'm going to try and focus on The Crown because I know how anxious some people are about that, and I'm sorry for the delay! Enjoy!**

 **Radio Silence**

Cindy was like a forest fire. Took out everything in her path without care. Passionate and strong, with the potential to hurt others. Jimmy could admit that he admired her drive. The girl never stopped. She didn't miss a day of school, a practice, or a club meeting. Jimmy wouldn't be surprised if he learned that she was actually a mutant that never slept or ate. Competitive to a fault, and she acted like she knew everything.

He didn't know what her objective was for trying to turn Betty's party into her own. Popularity? Power? Being able to one-up someone? Those were just guesses but also strong possibilities. Jimmy felt bad for Betty, though. She really was too nice and was going to be pushed around by the person she asked to help her.

Maybe she didn't realize this, but she'd given him leverage by telling him she couldn't swim. He hoped she didn't back out of their deal. He didn't want to use her secret against her.

Not knowing how to swim wasn't a big deal, but to the girl who knew everything, it was bad - in her eyes anyway. He doubted anyone would actually make fun of her but she obviously had it built up inside her head.

"What did she say?" Carl asked when he arrived back to his lab after talking to Cindy. His friends had waited on him eagerly, with DJ powered down on the couch.

"She agreed to it. It took some coercion, but we're good to go."

"How did you do it?" Sheen asked, surprised.

"Cindy's a tough one to crack sometimes," he said vaguely. "You guys want to talk to DJ now that he's been upgraded?"

Sheen rubbed his hands together conspiratorially and Jimmy took that as a yes. He flipped the switch on the back of DJ's neck, and then closed the flap to make the switch invisible to everyone else.

"Hey there dude," Sheen said casually. He held out his hand to DJ for a fist-bump, who returned the gesture without any hesitation or awkwardness. So far, so good. "How do you feel about Ultra Lord?"

Jimmy winced. Hopefully DJ wouldn't launch into an encyclopedia-like monologue about the subject. "It's a good show," DJ said. "For little kids."

Sheen looked enraged and Jimmy slapped hand to his forehead. "Did you program him to say that?! Rude!"

"No, but it technically _is_ a kid's show, Sheen. Which is how he came up with that statement. He's just a robot. Calm down."

Carl made eye contact with DJ, who was looking and acting like anything but a robot in that moment. The machine was different than the first time Jimmy showed it off, and that made Carl uneasy. Something that fake shouldn't feel so real. It was...eerie.

"You have no right to talk that way!" Sheen pointed at DJ accusingly.

"Hey man, I didn't mean to upset you. Everyone has their own thing," DJ replied with his hands up defensively.

Sheen looked to Jimmy with a raised brow. "He seems pretty legit, even if he's a little bit of an asshole. Good job Jim."

Jimmy shut the robot down and smiled. He was glad that he was able to fix DJ so that he was less robotic. He just hoped Cindy, Betty, and the rest of the party-goers would feel the same way his friends did.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Cindy awoke the day before the pool party by her dad shaking her arm annoyingly. If he was still home and not at work, that meant it was early. She lifted her head and looked at the clock. It was only seven.

"What's going on?" She asked tiredly.

"The damn neighbor boy is here asking for you. I told him you were asleep but he wouldn't leave."

"Neighbor boy?"

"Whatshisname. Neutron."

She furrowed her brow and curiosity was strong enough to get her out of bed. She didn't bother to fix her hair or make it look like she hadn't just woken up.

Jimmy was standing near the front door when she went downstairs. He smiled as he saw her. "Good morning."

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Swimming lessons."

She glared at him. "Come back in five hours and I'll consider it."

"Cindy," he started calmly. "The party is tomorrow. If you want to at least look like you know the basics of swimming by that time, we need to start now."

"I didn't even ask you to teach me!"

"Luckily for you I'm offering."

She picked up one of her stray flip-flops and hurled it at his head. He dodged it. She thought about picking up the other one but she felt a little better already so decided against it. She sighed.

"Fine. I'll go put a swimsuit on."

She pretended not to see his triumphant smile.

-00-

Cindy's parents left for work and she joined Jimmy in the backyard shortly after. The weather was still cool in the early morning, but the sun was out and strong, promising a warm, beautiful day. Jimmy was already seated at the edge of the pool with his feet dangling in the water. And he had his shirt off.

Cindy didn't think she'd ever seen him shirtless before. Since when did Jimmy Neutron have muscles?

Oh good god. She was ogling him. She needed some caffeine and a lobotomy ASAP.

She stopped next to him but didn't sit, didn't want to touch the water. It was bound to be cold. He looked up at her. "Want me to throw you in?" He asked jokingly.

"No!" She said too quickly. Not only did that sound awful, but she didn't want him to touch her. She could see his shirtless body from the front now, and she couldn't believe her eyes. Making robots and working in the lab had apparently done wonders for him.

"I wouldn't do that. Not yet anyway."

She knew he probably wasn't kidding. She gingerly sat down and dipped her toe in the water. Not too bad.

"I want to know how you're 17 years old and never learned how to swim."

"I took swimming lessons, but they didn't stick, I guess. And once I reached a certain age I just avoided deep bodies of water entirely."

"Most of it is instinctual anyway. I can teach you how to doggy paddle."

She scoffed. "No way, Neutron. If you're going to teach me, at least do it right."

He lifted her up and tossed her in the water easily. When she came back up sputtering and rubbing her eyes, he was laughing. "I can't believe you did that! I could've died!"

"Vortex, you're standing in four and a half feet of water."

So she was, but that didn't stop her from feeling angry. She splashed water at him - a decent amount that soaked his shorts and hair. She laughed at the shocked look on his face but that quickly turned into a scream as he jumped in the water, hell-bent in revenge. She half ran, half tried to swim away from him.

It was all fun and games until suddenly her toes couldn't touch the rough surface of the pool bottom and she panicked. At its deepest, her pool was over six feet deep. She was barely over five feet.

"It's okay," he assured her, pulling her back to the shallow end.

"You know people can drown in an inch of water! I'm surrounded by way more than that!"

"You're not going to drown," he said with a chuckle.

She ripped herself away from his grip and headed towards the pool stairs angrily. "This is a waste of time, Neutron."

"Wow, the big and bad Cindy Vortex giving up so easily? Sad."

She turned to look at him. He was giving her a disappointed look, and he had her. And he knew it. She couldn't handle his type of goading. She also didn't usually give up on anything.

Swimming was different. She could probably go the rest of her life without fully learning and be fine, but it was the principle of the matter. It came from a deep seated need to make her parents proud - which was nearly unachievable - and to be able to say she could do it. And swimming was so _simple_. There was no reason not to learn.

She gazed at the deep side of the pool uneasily.

"Hey." She looked back at the genius in her pool.

"What?"

"We will start off slow. I won't let you drown. Okay?" He held out his hand to her.

She nodded, and let go of the ladder and placed her hand in his.

-00-

There was a lot of... _energy_ involved with swimming. It truly involved the whole body and every muscle group possible. Cindy was an active person but she hoped she wasn't sore tomorrow for the party. She found that physical energy wasn't the only type she was exerting. If she wasn't mistaken, there was some sexual tension between her and her long-term neighbor.

She could be mistaken, she hoped she was. It could have just been the close proximity or their state of near undress. Maybe it was the combination of hot sun and cool water.

Maybe she was having a heat stroke and she needed medical attention.

Either way, she was going crazy. He kept touching her, and she didn't feel as if it were necessary for him to do so. She liked it a little too much.

She would just need to do her best with her task and focus on it instead of how hard his biceps felt. Easy stuff, right?

He taught her a few different ways to swim, including the breast stroke, free style, butterfly, and the ever ridiculous doggy paddle. She did all of these in shallow water, never having to worry about not touching the bottom.

After a awhile he asked her if she was ready to move to the deep end. She decided some fake confidence would take her a long way.

"Sure," She said, ready dive into the deep end - literally.

He caught her with one arm around the waist before she could get too far. "Not so fast. You go into it like that you'll freak yourself out."

"Okay, Dr. Phil. What do you suggest I do?"

"Do you know how to float?"

Floating was nice. She could easily do it all day; the sun was warming her but the water below her kept her temperature even. Her ears were submerged and it was like being in a comforting bubble. She didn't know how long she floated for but she jumped when she felt Jimmy's hands pushing her gently, one hand on her back and the other near her knee. She lifted her head out of the water slightly.

"You were getting too close to the edge so I'm just moving you."

"Thanks."

"I take it you like floating," he said, clearly amused. She just put her head back down so she could re-balance herself and submerge her ears again. She thought she could hear him laughing but with her eyes closed, she couldn't tell.

-00-

With Cindy happily floating on her back like she was born to live in the water, he slipped out of the pool unnoticed and sat down in a nearby chair. His skin was starting to feel shriveled up from the water and honestly, he needed distance from the blonde. The close quarters was getting to him.

She had no idea he had pushed her into the deep end. The idea was to get her used to the feeling so she could get over her fear.

He kept an eye on her for awhile, but he started to feel drowsy after awhile and his eyes slipped close unbidden.

He didn't have a chance to fully fall asleep. The sound of water splashing violently disturbed him. Cindy had probably tried to touch the bottom and didn't realize she was six feet of water. He jumped in the water and next thing he knew, she was hitting him with a pool noodle that was previously lying near the edge.

"Ouch - Cindy, stop! You're fine!"

"You said you wouldn't let me drown! You were sleeping on the job while I was dying!" She emphasized her words with a well-placed jab with the huge piece of Styrofoam.

"I was paying attention! You're still alive, aren't you?"

He grabbed the noodle from her and threw it away from them. That was when he realized they were still in the deep end.

"Cindy, you're staying afloat," he said, and she stopped trying to splash him.

She grabbed the edge with one hand and clung onto it for dear life. "Was I really?"

"Yes! You know how to swim, c'mon."

He urged her to let go of the side and what do you know, Cindy wasn't drowning. She didn't seem secure within her surroundings but she smiled at him brightly anyway.

Her demeanor had flip-flopped quick enough to give him whiplash but he understood why. She was just afraid. And he thought she wasn't afraid of anything.

She didn't swim around for long before she started drifting towards the sides again. He supposed that it would take more than a day for her to feel comfortable.

But hey, he'd done as he promised. Now he could go home and finish working on his idea for the party tomorrow-

"Are you hungry?" She asked curiously, cutting into his thoughts.

He was. And then when she offered to make lunch, he was too shocked to say no.

-00-

Jimmy didn't spend a lot of time with Cindy one-on-one. He saw her every day - in class, at their usual hang-outs with their usual friend group, on the weekends, and she lived right across him for God's sake. She was everywhere. But as he sat at her kitchen island, soaking up the blessed air conditioning and watching her make them lunch, he realized that they never spent time together alone.

He supposed there was a good reason for that. It's not like they had a reason to do so. They barely got along most of the time, even now that they were older.

"What is this?" He asked as she slid a plate in front of him.

"Peanut butter and jelly, duh."

"Yeah but why is there so much bread?"

"It's a double decker," she said simply as she smeared peanut butter on another slice.

She was no gourmet chef but he really had no room to talk. His cooking skills started and ended with macaroni and cheese and cereal.

"Creative. Wait - what is that?"

She looked up at him, holding the knife up. "Marshmallow fluff."

"Are you five years old?"

She just laughed. "You want some?" She didn't wait for his answer. She shoved the knife into his already made sandwich, leaving a hole in the middle and a mess of marshmallow all over. "Looks delicious."

He ate the entire thing.

While he ate he couldn't help but admire this rare, less angry side of her. Her hair was still dripping wet spots all over the kitchen floor and she hadn't bothered to cover up even though she was probably cold in just her bikini. Her skin had started to take in a bronze glow, and freckles were sprouting across her cheeks randomly.

It was a familiar sight. He'd been watching those freckles develop and disappear every year as the seasons changed. If he were truly being honest, Cindy herself was familiar. With all of her rage issues, infuriating sarcastic comments, and never ending energy, she was there. Always.

Goddamnit. Sheen was right. He was blind.

He got up and helped her clean up a little, and this was done in a companionable silence. He figured he would go home after lunch, but she headed for the back door and raised a brow at him when he didn't follow right away. And that was enough invitation for him to stay the rest of the afternoon.

-0-0-0-0-0-

It was near dinner time when he finally went home from Cindy's feeling warm and tired from a long day spent in the sun. Sheen and Carl were at his house when he walked through the door.

"Where have you been all day? I called you like five times!" Sheen yelled.

"Calm down. I was at Cindy's."

"What? Why?"

Jimmy didn't miss the look his two friends gave each other and he immediately felt defensive. "We were just talking about the party. No big deal."

"For eight hours straight?"

"There was a lot to discuss."

"Why are you wearing your swimming trunks?"

He didn't exactly know why he was being grilled so intensely but he had a feeling the conversation they'd had the day before about Betty vs. Cindy had something to do with it.

"We went swimming."

"You two just hung out then," Carl said, nodding his understanding. Sheen waggled his eyebrows.

"I'm glad you took our advice, son."

"I was teaching her how to swim, okay?!" Jimmy exclaimed, tired of the teasing. "In exchange for using DJ at the party, she wanted to learn."

"Hard to believe she doesn't know how to swim, but okay. Maybe she wanted to spend time with you."

Jimmy sighed and swiveled his chair around so he wasn't looking at them anymore. Arguing was useless, and he was fighting a losing battle.

He felt a little guilty he had let Cindy's secret slip and he hoped Sheen wouldn't say anything to anyone. Surely with his attention span, he would forget all about it by tomorrow.

Now the idea was in his head, intrusive thoughts of Cindy in her bikini were creeping into his mind, along with the idea that maybe she _did_ know how to swim and had tricked him into spending the day with her. She wasn't above trickery.

Something to think about.

 **Please review!**


	3. got a hold on me

**Hello all! I know it's been forever, so forgive me. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

 **Radio Silence**

The next day, Jimmy woke up extra early so he could check DJ one more time before the pool party began. He was a little nervous about it. He'd convinced Cindy to let him create a set-up - far enough away from the pool - so that DJ would look like...well, a real DJ.

Sheen and Carl had volunteered to help (more like Jimmy had browbeat them into it) and so the three of them were setting up in Cindy's backyard. The blonde seemed disinterested in their task and in the party in general.

"Shouldn't you be...getting ready?" Jimmy asked her as he looked around the yard. It didn't look like a party was going to be taking place there in just a few short hours.

Cindy rolled her eyes. "That's Betty's job."

"You're not even going to help?"

"Aren't you doing something?" She said, gesturing to DJ. "Namely, leaving me alone?"

"You're going to make a very grumpy party hostess."

She peered behind him, ignoring his comment, and set her critical gaze upon the area they were working on where DJ would be playing music. "Not bad," she said.

He watched as she disappeared into the house, feeling pleased with himself and his creation. He turned back towards his friends and Sheen was giving him a _look._

"I know you think I'm pulling your leg about Cindy but I'm serious," Sheen said, his face showing no trace of joking or teasing.

"Sheen, Cindy clearly dislikes me if not full-out hates me like she's always claimed to. Why are you pushing it?"

"Because even I can see you've just latched onto Betty all these years because you think she's special, but she's really just a normal person! You have her so built up in your head that if you did end up dating her, she might disappoint you."

"Wow," is all he could say.

"Yeah. And it's not like you should date Cindy just because she's familiar and you know her. She knows you too, dude. If there's anyone who could actually begin to understand that huge brain of yours and all that goes with it, it's her."

"You've thought about this a lot."

"Like I said, it's Libby. She brings out the best in me I think."

Jimmy couldn't argue with that.

"I understand what you're saying, but it's just not...right. I don't think Cindy and I would ever work out."

"Never know until you try. And besides, there has to be something there in order for you to keep trying to impress her all the time with your inventions."

Jimmy's eyes narrowed. "I invented DJ for Betty."

"I know, but what about all the ones before that?"

"None of those were for Cindy!"

Sheen looked frustrated. "Jim, _I know._ But have you ever stopped and thought about why you always insist on getting Cindy's opinion for your inventions? Why does what she thinks matter so much to you?"

Jimmy opened his mouth to answer - he wanted to say that her opinion _didn't_ matter, but Sheen shushed him. "Just do me a favor and think about it, okay?"

"I'm not against thinking about anything," Jimmy said just so he could placate his friend. "But with all the fighting that we do, I would lose my mind in the first three days of dating her."

Sheen smiled like he'd just won a prize. "Sure, man, but what about when you're not fighting? You know...when it's quiet. How do you feel about her then?"

Jimmy thought about the day before - his swimming lessons, and how she'd made him lunch. They'd gotten along fine for most of the day. He had nothing to say in argument to that. He was tired of talking about it, and frankly he didn't want to admit that Sheen may be right. Now _that_ was a weird concept. He hadn't exactly been able to keep Cindy off his mind since yesterday after leaving her house.

It was infuriating, and he had no idea what to do about it.

-0-0-0-0-0-

The party was not turning out the way Jimmy had planned.

DJ was doing great, and no one actually seemed to realize that he was a robot and not a real person, which was a good thing. Betty was a perfect hostess despite the fact that they weren't at her home. She was beautiful as always, with her hair still carefully styled against the sweltering temperature outside. Jimmy could see the string of her bathing suit around her neck under her tank top, but she didn't seem interested in swimming.

This party had been his chance to impress Betty and talk to her, maybe even ask her out. But he had barely said more than ten words since he arrived and it wasn't because she was too busy to talk to him. He just...didn't know what to say. The sun was hot, the music was loud, and everyone was seemingly having a good time.

His eyes kept drifting toward Cindy, who had adopted the role of _imperfect_ hostess. He couldn't help but notice that she seemed uncomfortable. Maybe it was the growing number of people at her home or the prospect of swimming; he didn't know for sure. While she was sporting a blank-face and her sunglasses it was hard to tell if she was actually uncomfortable or just indifferent.

"Did you ask her out yet?" Sheen said from his seat next to Jimmy's, who jumped at the sound of his voice.

"For the last time, Sheen, I am _not_ going to ask Cindy out."

Sheen looked at Carl, who was sitting across from them at the picnic table and was too busy sipping a drink out of a pineapple to pay attention. "I was talking about Betty."

Jimmy would've blamed his reddening face on the sun if anyone bothered to ask. Luckily Sheen didn't stick around long to tease him. He spotted Libby on the patio perusing the snack table and leapt up to join her.

He sighed and looked at Cindy - who just so happened to be taking off her swimsuit cover. Her skin was nearly glowing under the midday sun, her long blonde hair was like a bright beacon that he couldn't look away from. She sat down at the edge of the pool with her legs in the water and he could see she was finally smiling and talking to a group of people that were swimming below.

"Hey Jimmy," a musical voice said behind him. He turned around and saw Betty smiling at him. "I was just thinking about jumping into the pool. Want to join me?"

Carl kicked his leg under the table. Well, that was a perfect opportunity if he ever heard one before.

"Uh, sure!" His eyes drifted to Cindy again, and the scene was different than the last time he looked. Her glasses were perched on her head and he could detect her uneasiness from across the yard. She was looking down at boy in the pool who looked unfamiliar to Jimmy, who had a grip on her leg.

He got up to follow Betty, and at that point he had a decision to make. He'd done the nice friend thing already by teaching Cindy to swim. She was fully capable of taking care of herself. All he'd wanted was a chance to get closer to Betty and he needed to take it before his opportunity drifted away.

But seeing that panicked look on Cindy's face that was reminiscent of how scared she was in the water the day before, he knew he couldn't ignore the situation. "I'll be right back, okay?" He told Betty, who looked confused but nodded. Jimmy headed towards the other side of the pool where the blonde was sitting.

"I'm not getting in the water," Cindy was saying with a deceptive calmness. "You can let go of me now."

The unknown boy grinned and mistakenly took her words as a challenge, grabbing her other leg. "Oh, c'mon Cindy! Live a little." She did her best to kick at him, but losing her balance was an easy thing to do.

"Cindy," he called out to her, and she looked up at him with a mixture of surprise and relief. "Pretty sure someone knocked over the big screen TV you have inside. You may wanna go look."

The distraction enabled her to get her legs loose and she couldn't get them out of the water fast enough. He offered her his hands and she took them without hesitation.

Together, they walked into her house and she didn't question the TV at all. She must've known it was a lie instantly. He considered himself to be a decent liar, not that he did it often, so he wondered how she knew.

Maybe she just knew him well enough to know better. Or perhaps she just knew he would help her if she needed it.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Are you okay?" Jimmy asked the oddly silent Cindy as she tromped up the stairs in her house angrily. He followed her closely and she stopped halfway down the hall when she realized it and turned around.

"I hate this fucking party."

"I wouldn't have let you drown," he said in a poor attempt to joke but it fell a little flat; his words sounding more serious than he intended.

She gave him a curious look, taking a step closer to him slowly. His eyes were suddenly drawn to the few water droplets that rested on her chest and shoulders, mesmerized with how they made their slow descent.

"That's actually sort of surprising."

The upstairs hallway of Cindy's house was dark and cool, a sharp contrast to the heat and brightness of her backyard. Jimmy thought he could hear splashing, music, and talking from the party happening below them but all those noises faded out as Cindy stepped even closer to him, invading his space completely.

The look she gave him made him feel like his skin was too tight; like he was suddenly itching for something he couldn't quite place. "Are you okay?" He asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

There was no way he believed her but he didn't ask again. Her hand lifted and skimmed the length of his arm with the barest of touches. It gave him goosebumps. "What are you doing?" His voice was barely above a whisper. Too afraid to interrupt the quiet moment they were suddenly involved in.

Her hand stopped when she reached his shoulder and then it rested on his jaw gently. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice just as low. "Should I stop?"

"Hell no."

She laughed; a short, dark chuckle that didn't do anything but prolong the goosebumps that had appeared on his skin.

"You can touch me, you know," she said quietly, her eyes dancing with mirth.

It was like his hands had recognized the command before his brain did and started to move on their own accord. One went around her bare waist to pull her closer and the other threaded into the hair at the base of her neck, forcing her to look up at him fully. He wasn't very gentle, like she was being. He couldn't help it. She didn't seem to mind - her usual eye color of bright green were now a darker shade.

"How did you know?" He asked, his train of thought going completely off the rails. Words were just flowing out of his mouth unbidden now. She tilted her head to the side slightly in confusion. She ran a single finger down the length of his jawline and he struggled to breathe. "That I wanted to touch you."

She chuckled again. "It was just a lucky guess."

Her other arm looped around his neck to meet its twin and she used that leverage to connect her lips to his - something he saw coming but didn't quite expect the feelings along with it. It was as if he were on fire. She threatened to turn him to dust.

Her body pressed against his as they kissed, bare skin touching thanks to their outfits of the day. Even though he didn't want to stop, they probably needed to soon. He couldn't take much more of this, of _her._ She was wild and soft at the same time. While he was gathering the strength to pull away, he felt her tongue rub along his bottom lip sensually, asking for entrance. He gave it to her.

He couldn't decide what she tasted like but it was addicting. He walked her backwards until her back hit the wall, somehow managing to keep them both from stumbling. She lifted one lithe leg up and around his waist, pulling him closer even though he thought that was impossible. She was rubbing against him like a cat lazing in the sunlight. Graceful and rhythmic. When she moaned softly, he pulled away abruptly - not able to get far thanks to her grip around his neck.

"I think maybe we should stop," he stuttered, trying to tell her what he was feeling without embarrassing himself. Confusion threatened to take over his brain, too. He had no idea what was going on.

"I know," she said, sounding just as breathless as he felt.

Surely people were starting to wonder where they were. Libby or Sheen or Carl could be looking for them. Their position was going to spark an interesting conversation if they were discovered, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Jimmy, don't start asking those type of questions. I don't have any answers."

He had a feeling she was trying to distract him, if the open-mouthed kisses down his neck were any indication.

"We should go back downstairs."

She stopped her ministrations immediately and her hands dropped back to her sides. He regretted his statement immediately.

"You're right."

"Can we talk about this later? Please?"

She nodded, but her expression was hard to decipher. She walked down the stairs, leaving him alone in the darkened hallway. He didn't follow her for several minutes.

It wasn't until he was outside that he remembered Betty.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Cindy ignored Jimmy for the rest of the party. She was keeping a wide distance from the pool, and her mood had seemingly taken a turn for the worse. What the fuck was she thinking, kissing him like that? He liked Betty. Betty was enough of a sucker to fall for all of his attempts to impress her. The two of them were going to live happily ever after - eventually - and she had quite literally gotten in the middle of it.

She didn't really need to ignore Jimmy, though. He didn't attempt to talk to her. He sat next to Betty at the picnic table near the pool and smiled the entire time. The two of them looked so innocent sitting together - like good friends. Not like he was trying to make a move on her. That didn't do anything to soothe her anger, though.

Cindy felt like there was a literal dark storm cloud above her head.

"Girl, I heard your TV got busted! Is everything okay?"

"The TV is fine, Libby. This party, however, needs to get busted. Think anyone would know it was that called the cops if they suddenly show up?"

Libby's eyes widened. "What happened?"

"I almost got pulled into the pool by Grant Lewis."

"Ew, he's the worst. Sorry," she said emphatically. "I know you hate swimming. I've been wondering - why did you even agree to having this party here if you knew you were going to hate it?"

Cindy looked over to where Jimmy was sitting with Betty. He seemed to sense her gaze, and they made eye contact. He smiled at her knowingly and she looked away quickly before she did something awful, like smile back or go drag Betty by the hair away from him.

"I just wanted her to owe me."

Libby shrugged and Sheen popped up behind her, spreading his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "You two gonna be lame and sit in the shade all day or actually swim?"

"I don't wanna mess up my hair just yet," Libby said.

"I'm not swimming with those mongrels," Cindy cast a disgusted look towards her pool, which was full of teenage boys at the moment.

"Well, we wouldn't want you to drown," Sheen replied.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Unless Jimmy taught you how to swim in one day, I doubt you're ready to get in without some floaties," he said with a laugh, but Libby elbowed him in the ribs once she saw Cindy's murderous look.

"He told you that I didn't know how to swim?" She asked quietly, even though she already knew the answer. Sheen quieted down quickly.

"Uh, well, no? He just said he went swimming with you. I have no idea where I heard it from?"

Libby groaned. "Sheen, you're making it worse. Why can't you keep a secret? And Cindy, why didn't you tell me Jimmy was teaching you?"

"That's not exactly information I want anyone else to know," She seethed. "I told him not to tell anyone."

She turned to glare at the boy at fault, and she was ready to walk over to him and give him an earful but Libby spoke up before she could go through with it. "Maybe don't make a scene," she said cautiously. "Sheen won't tell anyone, right honey?"

Sheen's eyes widened; he was obviously frightened by the serious look in her eye. "I won't tell a soul," he promised.

"Apparently it's not you I have to worry about telling people," Cindy muttered, before marching off towards her house and the safety of the air conditioning.

Libby sighed. "We need to talk to Jimmy."

"He needs to get it together," Sheen agreed, eager to keep the blame off himself.

Libby knew that Cindy needed damage control, not comfort. Her friend didn't like being vulnerable or weak, and she was likely to wring Jimmy's neck if anyone else found out that she couldn't swim. The least Libby could do was warn the poor sucker.

Luckily, Jimmy had gotten up to get a drink with Carl and Libby made her move to talk to him, followed closely by her loud-mouthed boyfriend.

"You're an idiot."

The genius looked up at her in surprise. "What did I do?"

Libby pointed towards Sheen, who looked like he was ready to run away from the situation. "You told Sheen that Cindy couldn't swim? Really?"

Jimmy froze. "Please tell me you didn't say something to Cindy."

"I didn't know it was some big secret! What's the big deal?" Sheen exclaimed.

"You really don't understand women, Sheen," Carl mused.

"She's going to kill me." Jimmy set his drink down and looked around. "Where is she? Plotting my demise?"

"Inside. Probably shouldn't go in there unless you have a death wish."

"But not going inside won't make her any less angry."

"I don't know if you've noticed this yet," Libby said carefully. "But with Cindy it's never win-win. It's win-lose, and she's not ever the losing party."

"That's terrifying," Carl whispered.

Jimmy rolled his eyes. "I know how Cindy works. I can handle her." He picked up his drink again and missed the shared look his friends gave each other. It was a look of knowing there might be an underlying meaning in his words that maybe he didn't even realize was there.

"Jim, isn't DJ supposed to stay away from the water?" Carl asked suddenly.

They all turned to look and saw DJ, who should be playing his music behind the set-up on the patio, standing near the pool talking to a group of people.

"Great. I'll be right back."

"What about Cindy?" Libby asked.

"I'm not letting my new robot suffer water damage!" He called from behind his back.

"Well, it was nice knowing him," Sheen said sadly.

-0-0-0-0-

 **Me: "I'm going to be creative!"**

 **Also me: (uses the same makeout at a party plot line for the third time)**

 **Someone help me and my muse, haha. Honestly though - this will be the last time I have a similar plot line and then I'll do my best, okay? I haven't had anyone complain yet but trust me, I am VERY aware of how similar my stories may seem to each other. I'm just hoping that people enjoy them anyway.**

 **Please review!**


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